Jesus & the Trump Train 2016 ...

Many Christians may wonder what Donald Trump’s candidacy for the 2016 Republican Primary has anything to do with the Gospel of Mark.  After all Donald’s recent gaff in the pronunciation of two Corinthians (rather than second), and his brash manner, do not seem to affiliate him as a strong Christian.  But then, all of us have done things, that on closer examination would not affiliate us as strong Christians either, so who are we to judge.  A relationship between a man and his Savior is a deeply personal one, and frankly the less said about it, the more authentic it is likely to be.  At its core, submission to Jesus reveals a knowledge about ourselves, and about our weaknesses, and need of a savior – that is difficult to talk about in public if it is real.  It can be deeply humiliating.  But this is not the reason for my comparison.  Rather it is forged in the response of the enemies of both Jesus and Donald, to the “train” that is a jugging.

In the time of Christ, there was an active conspiracy of the establishment to silence Him, once and for all.  The message of Jesus had accomplished one singular uniting principle in the Sanhedrin, it had challenged their authority with the people.  Enemies who used to spend more time arguing with each other about doctrines and truth; were now united in the purpose of destroying Christ.  The people’s sympathies were moving to Jesus and the resentment of the leadership had responded in a hate campaign the likes of which had never been seen until then.  The Donald’s candidacy does not benefit from the artful, selfless, and loving rhetoric of Christ; one would rightly argue Donald (like us) is a long way from that.  Instead, it is the persona of Donald Trump, that has struck a chord in the voters of our nation.  So much so, that the “Trump Train” is a legitimate phenomenon.  Trump has won the majority of primaries in this election.  In any other year, the Republicans would have long ago closed ranks beyond the front runner, and created an air of eventuality that accentuated all of his good points up to the convention and after it in the general election.

But this has not happened this year.  Instead, people who cling to and vote for Trump, have caused the establishment to reach ever deepening levels of hatred and resistance.  The establishment itself has begun and intensified its own campaign of “never Trump”.  The media appears to have fallen in lock step.  CNN is normally more observatory and less participatory in politics, yet it is hard not to notice that for 2-3 days prior to each primary, their coverage of Donald is wall-to-wall negativity.  They predict an upcoming loss for him that should doom his candidacy, and a win for his competitors that should seal his fate.  When that does not occur, they immediately begin looking at the next contest, to repeat the same pattern.  Why should the Republican party continue a campaign against the clear will of its own people, and membership?  Why should PAC’s spend millions of dollars not praising the value of other candidates but instead tearing down Donald in ad after ad?  Because the leadership fears the challenge of Donald to their authority over the party and over the people?

This is very similar to what was happening to Jesus Christ so many years ago.  They are widely different figures, and the reasons for the reaction are also widely different.  But the reaction itself is eerily similar.  Peter recalls to John Mark in chapter eleven of his Gospel, what was the first Jesus “Train” that would enter Jerusalem the nation’s capital.  The momentum of the people was clearly towards Christ and away from the traditional established religion, ruled over by the Sanhedrin.  They had lost control.  They had lost the hearts and minds.  And they believed only the death of Christ would ever get them back.  But just when they perceived a measure of control, just when they believed Jesus would not dare enter their capital city of Jerusalem or their sacrosanct temple building.  Jesus was going to do both.  Trump might have said “in your face”.  Jesus would not.

Peter begins recalling the story to John Mark in his gospel in chapter eleven beginning in verse 1 saying … “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,”  Peter sets the story by stating that while Jesus had traveled to many parts of the nation and around Galilee, this time He was definitely headed home, to the heart of the nation.  They were getting close.  They were near the Mount of Olives where so often He enjoyed praying, and where soon in the garden near there, He would be pouring out His heart to God; asking in agony if it be possible to escape this fate, to let it be so, but not if it was against the will of His Father.  For now though, the procession had already begun.  On this day, the train was already starting to chug.

Mark continues in verse 2 saying … “And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. [verse 3] And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.”  One need only examine this prophecy to know the Lord of Truth.  First, Jesus is predicting where His disciples will find a colt.  One He had not seen as yet.  But not only precisely where the colt will be, but the condition of the colt; a virgin colt, one that had never been ridden.  This was to be the fulfillment of the prophesies of Isaiah.  But not because Jesus conveniently found these items in His path, but because Jesus (our God) could see them even though they were far out of any human sight or knowledge.  Then, add to all of this, Jesus predicts that His disciples will be questioned, and provides the words they are to speak when it occurs, as well as the outcome of all of this.

Peter continues his recollections in verse 4 saying … “And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. [verse 5] And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? [verse 6] And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.”  Everything occurs just as Jesus said it would.  That thought bears repeating … everything occurs just as Jesus says it will.  Consider the gravity of this.  Jesus predicted He would return again to take us home to the places He was preparing for us.  And it will occur just as He said.  Jesus also said, that loving Him and the gospel of freedom found only in Him, was more important than anything else.  Families would be torn up over this, nations as well.  These things will also occur as Jesus said they would.  But He is greater than our need, and greater than our weakness.  We can trust in the words of Jesus, for as this colt incident occurred, so will every other prediction occur, just as Jesus said it would.

Mark continues in verse 7 saying … “And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. [verse 8] And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.”  Now the Holy Spirit brings to their minds the words of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness … make straight the way of the Lord, prepare the way of the Lord.  The people act as if in one mind, and in one accord.  They spontaneously begin to shed what little clothing they have on their poor bodies, to honor their king as best they can.  They spread clothes out on the colt for their King.  Then they spread their clothing out on the road the colt will travel.  When they run out of clothing they spread palm branches to try to honor their king.  These were not random acts of joy and praise, they were orchestrated by the impressions of the Holy Spirit.  The fulfillment of Isaiah in hearts as much as in actions.

The bliss that entered in to human hearts could not be contained.  It must break free in shouts of praise and triumph.  The people were ready to recognize Jesus as their Messiah despite the resistance of the Sanhedrin and His enemies.  Dis-fellowship from the Temple was not enough to keep them silent, they were publicly displaying their unity with Jesus the Messiah.  The train was picking up momentum, and nothing of earthly design would silence it.  Mark continues in verse 9 saying … “And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: [verse 10] Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.”  These were the words and praises that traced all the way back to David.  They were directly linking Jesus to the house of David, the lineage of David, and the kingship of David.  The establishment was furious.

Peter omits the demand of the Pharisees to have Jesus quiet the crowd.  He omits the response of Christ that if the people were made to be silent the very rocks would cry out instead.  The Pharisees know that Jesus is not bluffing.  They know that while it seems impossible, it would happen just as He says.  So they run back to the Temple in furious anger, unable to quiet the crowd, turn away the praise, or do anything to dampen the mood.  The establishment has lost.  But they do not recognize this fact.  They only increase their hatred for something they cannot control, and resume plotting though they do not know what to do next.  For the people are speaking loudly, and against them.  While Peter does not recall this part of the story, he does go on to mention what happens at the end of this procession.

Mark concludes this vignette in verse 11 saying … “And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.”  Jesus enters the sacrosanct Temple as if there is no threat against Him.  He looks around as if He owns the place (for He does).  And at sunset, He withdraws with His disciples out to Bethany, no doubt with Lazarus and his sisters.  It sounds anticlimactic.  The Jesus Train does not actually result in His kingship, or presidency.  It just arrives at its destination, then withdraws to the countryside.  But it is deeper than that.  Jesus has waltzed right in to the heart of the plots against Him.  He has dared to do, what no other human would ever dare to do.  He means this gesture not only to fulfill prophecy, but to speak to the hearts of His enemies.  Who but God would do this?  Who but God could fulfill everything in spite of the plots against Him?  Some of His enemies are reached, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, Gamimael who would later quiet the plots against His disciples.  There are now cracks in the establishment, even if they are not public yet.

Donald Trump is not out to convert his enemies.  He is not out to share the gospel with them.  And it remains to be seen, if his run for the Presidency will reach fruition.  But the reaction of his enemies bears striking resemblance to the enemies of Christ.  An establishment always hates anyone who could sway the people away from its power.  This is true today in any Christian denomination.  “Radical” pastors are generally cast out as heretics if they challenge the establishment, history demonstrates this.  What Donald reveals to us is that political parties, and large corporations are just as intent today on this course, as were the enemies of Christ in His day. 

The striking difference is in the men.  Jesus spoke incessantly about loving others, particularly loving our enemies which is still hard for American Christians to digest.  Jesus never sought governmental power, He never rebelled against a pagan Roman Empire despite its hatred for our God.  Jesus was not interested in who ran the world in His day, He was solely interested in who runs your heart.  To be free, is not something a government can truly give you, or take away from you.  To be free, can only come from Jesus or not at all.  To be in control, one must cede it to Christ.  For the idea that we can be in control, is only a myth perpetuated by the enemy of souls.  To see evil vanquished, we do not fight it away, we can only ever love it away.  These doctrines run counter to our American idealism, and to the platforms of all political parties.  So our politicians put on the face of Christianity, but cannot reconcile the teachings of Christ, with the “realities” of governing.  To expect flawed men to be better than flawed men, is a mistake we make, not the media, or the leaders themselves.  But to hope in Christ, and to pray for our leaders, does not diminish any of us.